


Yarrow and Flax

by Pogokitten



Series: Language of Flowers [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Canon Compliant, Chrom POV, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Sickfic, Slight Angst?, do i need more tags?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 14:57:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18780583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pogokitten/pseuds/Pogokitten
Summary: Robin falls ill due to not taking proper care of herself. Chrom is very worried and does his best to help take care of his sick wife.(Takes place about a month after Grangel is defeated.)





	Yarrow and Flax

Chrom was wandering the castle in search of Robin. That was nothing unusual as his wife kept odd hours, her schedule quick to change and hectic. She had taken on the role of his chief advisor in the wake of peace with Plegia as opposed to an acting war time tactician. Although it had only been about a month since the end of the war, she had taken to the job with terrifying efficiency. Maybe too much efficiency.

Chrom had learned early on when Robin first joined the Shepherds, that the tactician was prone to overworking herself. During their campaign she often forgot to eat, and would not fall asleep until the wee hours of the night, too wrapped up in her plans. It all came to a head when she had collapsed after a particularly long march through the mountains. After that, the exalt had gotten into the habit of bringing her food when she refused to leave the strategy tent, along with ordering her to bed at reasonable hours.

That morning, Chrom hadn’t woken to her by his side, but she had not fallen asleep next to him either, which meant one of two things. Either Robin had gone to bed very late and risen very early, or that she had not gone to bed at all. Knowing his wife, Chrom had a sinking feeling it was the latter.

There were a limited number of places his wife would be at this hour. No meetings were scheduled for the morning so she wouldn’t be in the council room. At this time the training field was occupied by the palace guards for their exercises, not that Robin had kept up with her sword practice of late. That left the last, and most obvious place for her to be holed away. Chrom wound through the twisting palace halls until he came to the large oak doors of the library.

Pushing through the heavy doors into the vast chamber, the exalt gave a nod to the resident scribe who squeaked in surprise and bowed low at his sudden entrance. As he walked past the rows of shelves, he kept his eyes peeled for any glimpse of Robin’s snowy white hair or gold trimmed cloak. Just as Chrom was starting to get worried, he rounded a corner and sighed in exasperation at the sight of a familiar hooded form.

She was slumped over the library table, fast asleep on a pile of books. His wife’s hood had fallen forward, partially covering her face, which was pressed against the open pages of a particularly thick tome. Despite the relief of finding her, Chrom couldn’t help the frustration that welled up inside him. Robin had promised to take better care of herself when he had proposed, and they were at peace. There was no reason for her to be working herself to the point of exhaustion.

As Chrom got closer, he could hear the sound of her unsteady breathing, and immediately became concerned. His wife’s fingers twitched against the wood grain of the table in her sleep, pained whimpers coming from her. She was clearly in the throes of another nightmare.

“Robin?” the exalt called softly, shaking her shoulder gently, hoping to wake her from whatever terrible visions she was seeing.

All at once, her muscles went tense beneath his hand. The tactician jerked up and out of her chair, hand flying inside her coat for the spell book he knew she kept there. Chrom backed away, not keen on taking a lighting bolt to the face. But then Robin blinked, taking in her surroundings, eyes widening when she saw him. Her stance relaxed and she let out a shuddering breath.

“Chrom… You really gave me a fright there…” she sighed, putting a gloved hand over her heart.

The exalt moved to her side, and pulled her into a warm embrace. His wife sagged against him, and he brushed his gloved fingers through her hair.

“What were you dreaming about?” he asked.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s over now.” she mumbled into his chest.

Chrom pulled back from Robin slightly, wanting a better look at her. She tilted her head up to meet his gaze, and he cupped the side of her jaw. He stared into her honey golden eyes, running his thumb lightly across her cheek. Dark circles sat beneath her eyes, and her normally bronzed skin seemed a shade or two paler. Robin’s hair had gone frizzy, and started to escape her ponytails, her tunic and pants rumpled from being slept in. Her haggard appearance reminded Chrom that he was angry that she was falling back into old bad habits.

“What were you doing in here that was so important you fell asleep on your work?” the exalt questioned, trying and failing to keep the agitation out of his tone.

Robin broke away from his stare. “I was researching possible trade agreements with Regna Ferox. The council wanted a proposal for tomorrow. I didn’t mean to, it’s just such short notice...”

Chrom almost growled at that. His council was full of stuffy old nobles. Many of whom were relics from his father’s reign of horrors. The exalt had asked Maribelle to help him find new members for the council, but it was a difficult task, as none of the old houses were willing to give up their positions of power. He remembered Emmeryn having similar problems during her rule. They made the tactician jump through hoops to “prove” herself over and over. All because she was Plegian, not a noble, unable to remember her past. Nevermind the fact that Robin was the reason they had won the entire damn war against Grangel.

“You should have come to me, and I would have talked to them about it.” Chrom told her hotly. Although in truth, there would have been less talking, and more him shouting.

His wife glanced up to his face, then looked away again and mumbled, “I know… I just didn’t want to cause you anymore trouble-”

“It’s not any trouble, and it’s not worth your health to stress over such things,” Chrom cut her off, taking his wife’s chin and gently tilting her head so their eyes met again. “I know how you are Robin, but no one’s life is on the line anymore. You don’t have to push yourself to exhaustion for the whims of the council. You promised me you’d take better care with your health.”

“I know I did. I’m sorry. I’ll try not to let it happen again.” she gave him that small smile of hers that wasn’t quite genuine.

The exalt sighed deeply. “You say that every time I find you asleep on paperwork.”

Robin at least had the grace not to dispute that claim, a blush rising to her cheeks. Then she coughed, covering it with her coat sleeve. Chrom’s brows pinched together.

“If you don’t start taking care of yourself, I really will have Lissa put you on watch for self neglect.” the exalt warned.

“I don’t need to be babysat, Chrom.” his wife muttered, pulling away from him.

“Could have fooled me.” he told her dryly.

She gave him a glare that could probably send the Risen running for the hills, and the exalt winced. Robin mumbled mutinously under her breath about his continued reckless behavior, such as, _going out without a proper guard again,_ _did he want to get stabbed in a back alley?_ and, _Maybe HE needs a wet nurse._ Chrom could tell a scolding of his own was building up, and quickly headed her off.  

“I’m just worried about you, Robin. I don’t like to see you hurting, and I get scared that you’ll… Your health has always been...”

Robin’s expression softened at his words, and she took his hand in her own, rubbing her thumb over the top of his fingers. The exalt had already lost his mother to childbirth and sickness and his older sister to war, he could not bear to lose anyone else he cared about. His wife’s body, although strong and lean from years of training and battle, lacked stamina and was prone to illness. With nightmares that often made sleep difficult, and the migraines that hounded her, Chrom was always worried. The fact that she so often neglected herself only exacerbated the issues, and made the exalt’s chest tighten with anxiety.

Chrom wished he could stay by Robin’s side throughout the day and take care of her himself like he used to, but as the exalt, he was far too busy now. It pained him that the only time he could spend with Robin was during meetings and in the evenings. Things would settle down soon, and he would have more time to be with his wife, but Ylisse was still in the process of reconstruction.

“Don’t worry, my love, you’re not going to get rid of me that easily.” Robin teased, and then coughed again. “But you’re right. I need to try harder to relax now that we’re not at war.”

“I know just the thing. Come on, I’ve got some time before my first appointment. Let’s have breakfast together.” Chrom told her, tugging lightly on her hand, asking her to follow.

Robin gave him a soft smile that held all the warmth of the sun. “Okay.”

***

Chrom didn’t see his wife again until that evening when she returned to their rooms, washed, and crawled into bed next to him. They laid together in the dark, under thick blankets to fend off the chill of winter, fire burning down to embers, and talked about their day in hushed tones. Eventually, Chrom had wrapped his arms around Robin, and when she finally fell asleep, he listened to her rhythmic breathing and enjoyed the feel of her pressed up against him. Only then, when he was sure she was finally resting, did he finally relax enough to give into slumber. But in the morning when he rolled over seeking her warmth, Robin’s side of the bed was already cold.

That afternoon was the council meeting, where Robin would present the proposal for the trade agreement. Chrom was fidgety throughout all of his morning duties, worried about his wife and eager to see if she was doing any better today. He was also ready to verbally rip into the council members for making Robin overwork herself for no reason. The exalt’s quick temper and rash nature had cooled significantly after the war when he was forced to grow into his new role as leader of Ylisse. However, it wasn’t gone by any stretch, and he could feel it boiling up under his skin.

When he reached the meeting room, the soldiers guarding the doors saluted and opened them for him. Inside, most of the council had already assembled. Nobles milled about, some sitting, some standing, but all the chatter dimmed at his entrance. Just as quickly, the conversation picked back up, but now it seemed a little tenser, for they had surely all seen his stormy expression. Chrom ignored them all, his eyes seeking out that head of silky white hair.

Relief coursed through the exalt when he spotted his wife at the head of the table in conversation with an ever stern Frederick.

“Milord.” his guardian greeted as he approached, and the tactician turned to face him.

When Chrom caught sight of his wife’s face, his heart sank. She looked worse than yesterday somehow. Robin’s tan skin was looking pale and washed out, her eyes dull and cheeks oddly red.

“Oh, Chrom, there you are.” she gave him that familiar small smile that didn’t quite meet her eyes.  

“Hey, are you feeling okay?” he asked worriedly, brushing back a loose strand of her hair.

“Yes, just a little drained from yesterday still. It’s nothing to worry about.” his wife assured, but her voice was hoarse.

“Are you sure, Milady? You are looking rather unwell.” Frederick added, frowning as he got a closer look at Robin’s face.

She shied away from him, holding her stack of documents up in front of her face. “Honestly you two, I’m alright. I’m just a bit tired. I’ll even take a rest as soon as the meeting is over, okay?”

“I’ll drop it, but only if you’re sure you’re feeling up to it. Are you positive you’re okay to do this?” Chrom asked, running a comforting hand down her arm.

“ _Yes._ ” his wife insisted.

The exalt frowned. “I’m going to hold you to that promise of rest, Robin.”

“I will.” she nodded.

Chrom’s hard expression softened somewhat and he sighed. “Alright, I’ll tell them to get started then.”

At the exalt’s command, all the nobles quickly settled, and the chatter stopped. Chrom took his seat next to his wife, Frederick’s protective presence hovering behind them. After the usual tedious formal addresses and procedures, Robin stood from her seat next to him gathering her papers and walked to the front of the table. She cleared her throat and began, her voice slightly less raspy sounding than before.

“As you all know, Regna Ferox’s land is harsh and their growing season is short. In comparison, Ylisse is well known for its fertile farm lands. However, Ferox is full of stone quarries and salt deposits, which we have only a handful of.”

At this several of the nobles nodded, checking their own notes. However, most looked purposefully uninterested, and a few were even sneering. Chrom felt his blood heat, and he had to grit his teeth to keep from lashing out. Oh, yes. He would be having words with them.

“I propose we approach the Khans with an offer to trade produce for their stonework and salt supplies. This trade would be very beneficial to both parties.” his wife continued and either didn’t notice or ignored the disrespect. She cleared her throat again.

“As allies with Ferox…we…” Robin trailed off unevenly, her eyes squeezing shut.

“Milady, is something the matter?” one of the more moderate nobles asked, his voice slightly concerned. Uneasiness bubbled up in Chrom’s gut, overtaking anger. Something was wrong.

“I’m fine, I just…”

And then Robin swayed on her feet, a hand going to her face. Chrom was instantly out of his seat, panic shooting down his spine. Just as he reached her, the tactician's legs gave out and she pitched forward. Chrom caught his wife before she could crumple completely, and lowered the both of them to the floor, pulling her close to him. Around him, the council had erupted into murmures and exclamations, but the exalt didn’t bother trying to focus on any of it.

“Robin?!” Chrom called desperately as he held her to his chest.

His wife did not respond. Her body was entirely slack against him, breath fluttering unevenly in her chest. Was it an illness? Exhaustion again? A hex? Chrom was full of adrenaline, as if a hoard of Risen had appeared in the courtyard.  

“Maribelle!” he called into the crowd, but the noblewoman was already kneeling at his side, staff in hand.

Frederick was working to get the council back under control, but the exalt was too busy anxiously watching Maribelle work to pay attention to it. The troubadour raised her staff, and the conduit lit up as the familiar feeling of healing magic filled the air. Then Maribelle frowned. Putting her staff aside, she pulled a glove off her perfectly manicured hand and pressed it to Robin’s forehead.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” the exalt asked, near panic.

“A fever, Milord. But I can’t say for sure what is causing it yet. Let’s take her back to your rooms so I can get a better look at her.” Maribelle told him.

Fear threatened to constrict him, but Chrom managed to nod. “...Alright.”

The exalt, hooked an arm underneath Robin’s knees and the other one wrapped around her back. Then he easily rocked back and stood with his wife in his arms. Chrom was used to picking his petite wife up, but he handled her with even more care than usual, as if afraid she might shatter if he shifted wrong.

“Frederick, you’re in charge here.” the exalt ordered, glancing back to the gathered nobles.

“Of course, Milord.” the great knight agreed gravely, his eyes on Robin.

Without another glance towards the council, Chrom left the meeting room with Maribelle close behind. A tense silence followed them as the exalt walked briskly through the castle halls. Chrom was mentally beating himself. He should have been watching Robin more closely. Should have insisted more firmly that she take care with her health. Could he have prevented this if he had?

“She’s going to be fine, Milord. We can deal with this.” the troubadour spoke softly, putting a kind hand on his shoulder, startling him slightly.

The noble woman’s steady presence eased Chrom’s anxiety somewhat and he nodded. There would be time for doubts and regrets later. Just then, his wife stirred against him, her eyes fluttering open. Her expression was pinched in pain and she shivered in his arms.

“...Chrom.” Robin mumbled weakly against his neck.

“I’m here, Robin. I’ve got you.” he told her, tightening his hold.

That seemed to sooth her a bit, and her eyes closed once more. When they reached their chambers, Chrom laid Robin gently down on their bed and removed her boots and belts at the very least. Then he gingerly pulled the covers over her. Maribelle headed to the nearby washroom, swiftly returning with clean hands and began examining the tactician as the exalt watched anxiously.

“Milord, did you notice any signs of sickness from her of late?” Maribelle asked him, taking Robin’s pulse at her wrist.

“She… She was coughing a bit yesterday, and she seemed more tired than usual.” he said after few moments of thought.

“What about today?” the noblewoman moved her hands to carefully feel the tactician’s neck for any swollen glands.

“I… I don’t know. I didn’t see her until this afternoon.”

How had he not noticed sooner? The flushed skin, the unusual tiredness even for Robin, the coughing yesterday. All the signs of illness had been there, but he hadn’t seen it. Suddenly the door opened and Lissa bustled in, staff and medicine satchel in hand.

“Chrom.” she greeted, concern written across her face.

At his surprised expression she gave him a worried smile. “Frederick sent for me. He said Robin had fainted and Maribelle might need some help.”

“Your help would be much appreciated, Lissa dear, but thankfully I do not think it’s anything too dire.” The noblewoman said, taking the satchel from the princess.

Hope and a bit of relief washed over Chrom at her words. But before he could ask any questions on Robin’s condition, there was a knock at the door.

“Milord, may I speak with you a moment?” Frederick’s voice called softly.

The exalt crossed the room and opened the door. “Of course Frederick.”

With one last backwards glance towards his unconscious wife, Chrom stepped out into the hallway and shut the door softly behind him, so as not to disturb Robin or the healers. His guardian cleared his throat.

“I’m sorry to pull you away from Milady, but I thought I should inform you that the council is back under control and have been ordered to wait for your return. No other state matters can be discussed in your absence, and that the trade agreement issue has been shelved for the time being. They are not very happy, but I made it clear that there would be repercussions for any disobedience.”  

“Thank you, Frederick. You can tell them that I will return soon enough.” Chrom said gratefully.

That was a huge weight off his shoulder for the moment. He would still have to deal with the nobles, but he had a chance to catch his breath. There was a few moments of silence as Frederick seemed to struggle with something.

“How is she?” the great knight asked hesitantly, always unsure of his place, despite the fact that he was one of the exalt’s most trusted friends.

Before Chrom could try to speak around the lump that formed in his throat, the door opened and the two healers stepped into the hall.

“It seems to be a virus and some mild exhaustion.” Maribelle announced.

“A bad cold has been going around the castle. I’m not surprised she caught it, you know how easily she falls ill.” Lissa told Chrom, worrying her staff.

“As you know, healing magic can do nothing for natural illnesses. I gave Milady a fever reducing tonic, it should start working soon. The best thing we can do is keep her warm and let her rest. When she wakes up, we should try and get some fluids into her, I’ll have some tea sent up to your rooms, Milord.” the noblewoman added.

“Thank you, Maribelle. And you too, Lissa.” Chrom sighed, some of the tension easing from his shoulders. A fever and an exhausted body, while not good, could be treated.

“You know I’d do anything for my sister-in-law. Who else will help me plan such elaborate pranks on you, bro?” the princess grinned, regaining some of her cheekiness.

“It’s no trouble Milord, but you really must tell Robin to take better care of herself. Especially during the cold months.” Maribelle chided lightly.

“I’ve been trying.” Chrom said wearily.

“We’ll check up on her throughout the day, but if she gets any worse, you should come get one of us or one of the palace healers. With how Robin’s body is, there’s a chance this will get worse before it gets better.” his sister warned.

“Right. Thank you both again, for everything.” the exalt tried to smile.

Lissa gave him a quick hug, and Maribelle curtsied slightly before they left to return their supplies to the infirmary.

Frederick cleared his throat. “I’ll wait out here for you, Milord. Take all the time you need.”

Chrom nodded, unable to properly verbalize his gratitude for Frederick’s assistance, and entered his chambers. Robin was still tucked into their bed, sleeping. He crossed the room and sat heavily on his side of the bed, gazing into his wife’s slumbering expression. The sight eased him from the storm of anxiety and fear he had just been through. Chrom hung his head, letting out a long exhale.

The exalt’s panic had faded for the most part, leaving him feeling empty and tired. How could he have missed such obvious symptoms of sickness? Part of him was sure that Robin had been trying to hide it from him, but the other part was convinced he had just been foolishly oblivious to her. Guilt and frustration gnawed at his insides. The tactician was never one to admit she was hurting or even injured. It had caused quite a number of incidents during the war where she had tried to hide deep gashes and bruises, always insisting she was fine.

As if his thoughts called to her, his wife’s honey golden eyes slitted open. They traveled across the room blearily before landing on him.  

Chrom mustered up a smile. “I see you’re awake now.”

“Chrom…what happened?” Robin mumbled groggily, trying to prop herself up.   

The exalt stopped her with a firm but gentle hand. “You don’t remember?”

His wife laid back against the pillow and shook her head.

“You were presenting your proposal during the council meeting…and you passed out.” the prince admitted.

“Right...in front of all of them?” she asked softly, and he nodded reluctantly.

Robin’s expression wobbled, and she looked away from him. “I’m sorry, Chrom... I’ve caused trouble for you again.”

The exalt scowled. “I don’t care about that.”

But tears still formed in the corners of his wife’s eyes, and Chrom cupped her cheeks and brushed them away, his expression softening. “I don’t give a damn what those stuffy nobles think or say. All I care about is whether or not you’re okay.”

She weakly put her own hands over his, and he took the opportunity to gently slide the gloves off her hands. Taking her slender fingers in his, he absently rubbed circles on the back of her marked hand with his thumb. Neither of them knew what the mark was, only that it was Grimleal in design. Chrom didn’t mind it, but Robin always insisted on keeping it covered in public, saying it made her uneasy. He couldn’t say he blamed her either. Despite everything his older sister had done and said, most Ylisseans had little love for Plegians even with peace, and he often times found himself fearing for his wife’s safety.

“You really scared me, Robin. You just suddenly collapsed, and I felt like someone had run me through.” Chrom confessed, his voice shaky as he recalled the terrifying moment.

“I’m sorry.” Robin murmured and put her free hand to his cheek, staring up into his eyes as if trying to show him that she was still there.

“No more apologies. You could have been taking better care of yourself,” Chrom gave her a stern look, and the tactician broke away. “But this wasn’t your fault. No one can control falling ill.”

“Although that’s true… Maybe I need a babysitter after all.” she joked, and Chrom chuckled in response.

If his wife could show that witty humorous side of her, then she must not be doing too poorly. It was times when the teasing, sarcasm, and jokes stopped that the exalt grew worried.

“I’m sure Tharja would be happy to, if you asked.” he teased, coaxing a weak laugh from Robin.

“Rest, love. I’ll take care of things while you recover.” the exalt said pressing a kiss to the hand he still held.

“I don’t think I can do anything else.” she sighed, and closed her eyes.

“I’ll be back later, just let the maids know if you need anything. Maribelle and Lissa will come check on you in a bit.” he told his wife, caressing her hair.

“Alright.” she agreed, sleepily.

Chrom pressed a soft kiss to her heated forehead and she let out a shuddering sigh. Reluctantly, he rose from his spot and headed for the door. He really didn’t want to leave Robin, but he had responsibilities. The exalt knew she would be fine under the healers’ care, and that the tactician understood that he had duties to attend. But that didn’t make leaving his wife while she was sick and in pain any easier. Anxiety made his chest ache as he left Robin’s side, but he had promised her that he would take care of everything while she slept.

At the very least, he had a room full of irritated nobles to clean up. He had a feeling that a few vacant seats may be opening up on the council within the hour, consequences be damned.

***

It was late evening by the time Chrom made it back to his rooms again, much to his frustration. The fire had burned down to embers and a single candle burned on the nightstand. To his relief, Robin was tucked under the covers, a wet rag on her head, sleeping comfortably. Her clothes were neatly folded on top of her dresser, someone had probably helped her change into nightwear at some point. The exalt changed as quickly and quietly as he could in the dimly lit room. For a few moments he stood next to the bed and watched Robin’s peaceful slumber instead of slipping under the blankets. Unbearably fond, he leaned in slowly to brush a kiss against her mouth.

“Don’t you dare.” Robin rasped, pushing her fingers against Chrom’s lips without even opening her eyes. “The last thing we need is a sick exalt.”

“How did you know I was there?” he pouted against her soft fingers.

“I can smell your stinky breath.” she joked weakly, opening her eyes.

Chrom chuckled and moved her hand aside to kiss her cheek instead. The heat that met his lips concerned him despite his sister’s assurances that the tonic was doing its job. He sat on the edge of the bed and held her slender fingers in his hand.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’ve been worse.” she managed a small grin.

The exalt frowned. “That doesn’t sound very promising.”

“I would feel better…if you’d join me. It’s awful cold under here...without my personal heat source.” his wife teased between short coughs.

“I’m just a heat source now?” Chrom huffed out a laugh, but obliged her all the same, shifting back the covers and nestling close to Robin.

“Not just any heat source, you're _my_ heat source.” she whispered once he was settled.

He smiled playfully even though the tactician's back was to him. “I hope I’m good for more than just body heat.”

“You are. It’s just one of your many good qualities.”

“Oh? One of many? Do tell.” the exalt curled around his wife, and she murmured in contentment pressing her back against his chest.

“Well, you’re much taller than me,” she coughed softly, “So you’re great for reaching higher shelves. You’re strong too, which makes you the best at carrying all my heavy tomes from the library. And when Lissa and I prank you, you make the best faces.”

“I’m glad you’ve found so many uses for me.” he chuckled.

“I can think of a few others, too.” Robin said dreamily, her breathing evening out.

“Care to tell me?” Chrom whispered next to her ear.

After a long moment of silence where his wife did not respond, the exalt realized she had fallen back asleep. He huffed a soft laugh. Always getting the last jab in. Smiling softly to himself, he nuzzled into the nape of her neck and let out a tired sigh. Hopefully come morning, Robin would be feeling better. Chrom was eager to demonstrate exactly what his other uses were to her once more.

***

Chrom woke up a few hours before dawn, seemingly without reason. He had not been startled awake by a commotion or bad dream, but nor had anyone roused him. However, he quickly realized what had woken him. Robin was searing against his chest, even through their nightwear. He could feel the shivering racking her body and the shallow breaths she took, the fever clearly much worse than earlier. The exalt threw the covers back in a panic, his body sticky with his wife’s perspiration. Pulling on a robe and slippers, Chrom tucked Robin back into the bed and ran a shaky hand across her forehead. She made a small pained noise, and the exalt’s heart ached.

“I’ll be right back, love.” he whispered trying to clamp down on his rising fear, and quickly swept from the room in search of one of the palace healers.

As if it was some sort of sixth sense, Frederick found him in the hallway, appearing to have been up for hours as he was in his full suit of armor. When Chrom explained, the great knight’s brow creased with worry, and he hurried off to find some maids to bring up ice and fresh rags. The exalt barged into the infirmary, making the healer on shift jump in surprise. He was quick to recover however, swiftly gathering supplies and following after Chrom once the exalt told him what was wrong.

In his chambers they found Frederick and a few maids working quickly to light the sconces around the room and rekindle the fire, making sure there was enough light to see by. Robin was curled up on her side, mostly hidden by the tangle of blankets, one of the maids hovering worriedly over her. In the light, her usually tan skin was pale and sweat slicked, and Chrom felt his stomach drop at the sight. When they approached the maid bowed and backed away from the bed.

Frederick had delivered on his promise of ice as a large bowl of it sat on the nightstand, clearly being kept cold thanks to one of Tharja’s hexes. Again the exalt could only stand by anxiously as the healer began to work. The man wasted no time, checking Robin’s vitals before wrapping a chunk of ice in cloth and placing it on her heated forehead. That roused the tactician somewhat and she let out a soft pained groan.

“Milady, how are you feeling?” the healer asked, and Robin blinked her eyes open only to squeeze them shut again in pain. She slowly shook her head.

“Do you think you can take this tonic? It will help.” the healer coaxed gently, producing a small bottle.

The tactician did not respond, but she allowed the healer to prop her up enough to take the potion. Robin was clearly out of it, almost delirious with the fever. Her normally sharp eyes were dull and glazed, seeing without taking anything in. As soon as the bottle was empty, his wife went limp into the covers once more.

The healer turned to him with a frown. “I’ve done about all that I can for her at the moment, Milord. For now all we can do is let her keep resting. Normally we could try an ice bath, but considering it’s winter, and the fragility of Milady's health… I’d recommend it as a last resort.”

“Alright… Thank you.” Chrom said, still buzzing with nerves, staring at Robin who had curled back into a ball and was shivering.

“I’ll come back in a few hours to give her another dose of the fever reducing tonic, and let the other healers know what is going on.” he told the exalt kindly despite his grave expression, before bowing and leaving the room.

The maids left quickly after, leaving only Frederick and Chrom in the bedroom with Robin. Chrom canceled all of his appointments for the day and Frederick happily took over any duties that could not be put off. There was no way he would be able to focus on anything today, and Robin needed him. Besides, he had not taken a single day of rest since the war had ended. It might have been selfish, but he felt like he deserved to be able to care for his sick wife for at least one day.

After the great knight left, the exalt sat heavily on his bed, feeling like he was drawn taut as a bow string. He let out a deep breath, trying to let go of the anxiety burning through him. With little else to do, he ran a comforting hand along his wife’s side in in effort to soothe both himself and her. His touch seemed to rouse her a bit, and cloudy eyes opened.

“...Chrom…” Robin managed.

“I’m here.” the exalt said, taking his wife’s limp hand.

“Stay.” Robin whimpered, uncommon vulnerability showing through in her pained expression. She tightened her weak hold on his hand pleadingly, and warm affection filled Chrom despite the circumstances.

“Always.” he soothed, with a kiss to her cheek.

The tactician fell back into fevered sleep, her hand still lightly gripping his, and Chrom settled back against the pillows. For a while he dozed there with Robin, having been up far earlier than usual and unwilling to let go of her hand. Not long after dawn, a pale faced, sleep ruffled Lissa arrived, alongside a maid with a tray of food, berating Chrom for not waking her earlier. The commotion woke Robin up slightly, and she made a soft noise of protest.

“How are you feeling Robin?” Lissa asked moving closer.

“Hot…” the tactician mumbled.

“Do you have a headache?” the princess asked leaning in to take her temperature.

The tactician made a small noise of agreement in the back of her throat, twisting away from Lissa’s hand and letting out a weak cough. His sister frowned. With a slight bow, the maid placed the tray she was carrying on the nightstand and backed out of the room.

“Do you want something to eat?” the princess offered, picking up what looked like a bowl of soup that was mostly broth from the tray.

“...Not hungry.” his wife muttered.

“That’s no good Robin! You barely ate anything yesterday. You should eat it even if you don’t feel hungry, your body needs energy.” Lissa pouted.

“Robin, you need to eat something. Even if it’s just some soup.” Chrom said trying to keep the worry out of his tone, taking the bowl from his sister.

Robin whimpered in response.

“Please? You’ll feel better after you do.”

Her glassy eyes looked up at his pleading tone, and she nodded slightly. Helping her sit up, Chrom held the bowl while she took small spoonfuls. He had tried to feed her but Robin had glared at him, not ready to give up what was left of her autonomy yet. Still, she didn’t protest his arm wrapped around her waist holding her upright while she took shaky mouthfuls of soup. The entire time, the exalt murmured sweet nothings and encouragement next to her ear.

He managed to get her to nibble on a piece of bread as well, before the act of eating exhausted her and she fell back into fevered sleep. As she slumbered fitfully, the exalt sat next to her while Lissa watched worriedly at the end of the bed. Chrom hated seeing Robin like this. It was so at odds with the brilliant mind and determined personality he’d fallen in love with. It scared him, seeing her so weakened, and although she didn’t say anything, he could tell that she was in a significant amount of pain.

“Are you okay, Chrom?” his sister asked suddenly, breaking into his thoughts.

“I…” he started then bit his lip, desperate to keep his emotions from spilling over.  

The exalt stood and began pacing, hoping the movement could distract him from his storm of fear, frustration, and his feelings of helplessness. Lissa came forward and placed a gentle hand on his arm, heart ache evident on her face as she watched him.

“You can tell me, I’m here for you bro.”

Her words, the compassionate look on her face, and her eyes that looked so much like Emmyern’s broke down the exalt’s walls.  

“Lissa...what if she…what if… Oh gods, I can’t do this again!” Chrom cried out softly, choking back tears. Robin had gotten sick many times before, but rarely this bad, or during winter when she was weakened by the chill. What if this was the time Robin didn’t get better? What if she..? He couldn’t even voice such thoughts, afraid it might make them come true.

Lissa opened her arms, and her brother slumped into her embrace. Despite the fact that she was so much smaller than him, younger, and far more delicate, his sister held Chrom strongly. She understood that he was just a man with the weight of a kingdom on his shoulders who had already lost too much, and did not judge him for his breakdown.

“It’s gonna be okay, Chrom. Robin can beat this, her fever will break soon.” Lissa soothed, rubbing circles into his back in a way that reminded him painfully of their older sister.

“Are you sure?” he asked, voice trembling slightly.

It was childish looking for reassurance in such a way, but Chrom couldn’t help himself. At that moment he just wanted to know that everything would turn out okay, even if it might have been naive and unrealistic.

“I am. Have some faith in her.” Lissa murmured, her voice steady and sure, making the exalt wonder when his sister had grown up so much.

Chrom nodded into her shoulder and she released him from the hug. After that, his sister left, promising to return throughout the day. The exalt laid down next to Robin, caressing her side. He dozed on and off for sometime next to the tactician, until the healer on duty returned to give his wife another dose of medicine and see to her other needs. Since she had already been woken up, Chrom used the opportunity to get her to eat a bit more soup.

“Do you need anything?” he asked, replacing the melted ice pack on her head with a fresh chunk of ice.

“No…” she muttered, looking away.

Chrom sighed, and ran his fingers through her hair. He wished his wife would be a little more selfish, and tell him what she needed or what would make her feel better.

“Sorry…don’t mean to be…a burden.” the tactician suddenly murmured, and the exalt’s brow furrowed in concern and sorrow. Is that what Robin thought of herself? Perhaps her thoughts were slipping out slightly uncensored due to the fever.

“Don’t you dare say that, you’re not a burden, Robin. You could never be, so stop thinking you are. You’re the wind at my back and the sword at my side. I love you.” he told her, pulling her into an embrace.

“...Love you more… ” she gave him a small smile that warmed Chrom down to his toes, and was lost to sleep again.

“You always have to have the last say, huh?” he laughed quietly to himself, looking down at her sleeping form.

***

It was late in the night when the fever finally broke. The exalt had been far too worked up to sleep, electing instead to do some tedious paperwork that had been piling up on his desk for a week now. For the past few hours he had been sitting on the bed next to Robin, using a large book as a hard surface to write on as he worked. He had just finished signing off on a few new farming laws when his wife stirred.

When she groggily opened her eyes and looked up at him, Chrom felt his muscles loosen in relief. It was such an intense release of stress it almost brought tears to his eyes. Robin’s eyes had regained their keen focus, and she sat up without much trouble.

“Good morning,” she rasped, voice still a bit hoarse,  then glanced at the darkened windows and flushed slightly, “Er, well, night, I suppose.”

Without any pretext, Chrom grabbed her face and pulled her into a deep kiss. Robin made a small noise of surprise, but quickly relaxed and deepened the desperate kiss. As he melted against her soft lips, the exalt didn’t spare a single thought about catching her cold. His wife’s skin was still clammy and washed out, but no longer had an unnatural heat to it under his fingers. They broke apart, the tactician panting somewhat, her lips bright pink and Chrom touched his forehead to hers.

“You scared me again, Robin.”

She smiled sadly at him, still a bit breathless. “That seems to be a special talent of mine.”

Chrom quickly fetched her a cup of water. “How are you feeling?”

“Better.” his wife assured, taking the glass from him.

After a few sips of water, while the exalt rubbed circles into her back, she frowned. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“I couldn’t resist.” he grinned, taking her chin between his fingers and eyeing her soft lips.

Robin put the cup aside and pulled him down onto the bed, lacing her finger in his, Chrom’s paperwork forgotten.

“What a foolish exalt you are.” she murmured softly, gazing into his eyes.

“Maybe, but I’m your foolish exalt, aren’t I?” he breathed next to her ear.

That got a laugh out of Robin.

“Always.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh man, my first ever one shot. I'm so used to writing long running works, so this was a bit of a challenge for me, but I really enjoyed it. I just love Chrobin so much, they give me life tbh. I am also the biggest slut for sickfics, and there weren't that many of them for Chrobin, so I was like: You know what? I'll just write one lol. 
> 
> I may do more of these, one-shot type stories, so let me know if that's something you guys would be interested in reading. I'm down to do ones with MChrobin too, but I think a bunch of these will be FChrobin because my long running story features MRobin and I wanna share the love.


End file.
